By

SACHIN.C.V
SANJAY.S
MAHESHA.P
NAENDRA.K.N
 Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy, like light waves or radio
waves

Microwaves are used extensively in communications

such as to relay long-distance telephone signals, television programs and
computer information across the earth or to a satellite in space.

Good for transmitting information because it can penetrate light rain and
snow, clouds, and smoke.

Also used in radars and in detecting speeding cars.

Microwave has become most familiar as the energy source for cooking
food.
 Invented accidentally by Dr. Percy LeBaron Spencer
While testing a magnetron during work, he discovered the
candy bar in his pocket melted
Experimented with other food products (popcorn and eggs),
and realized microwaves can cook foods quickly
At 1947, 1st commercial microwave oven produced (called
Radarange )
Mostly used by restaurants, railroad cars, ocean liners and military
Improvement and refinements made by 1967, 1st domestic
microwave oven produced.
 Three Basic Properties of Microwaves
1. Microwaves can pass through Glass, Paper, Plastic & Organic materials.

2. Microwaves are reflected by metal surfaces.

3. Microwaves penetrate and are absorbed by some substances like fats, sugar, water
molecules
 The magnetron converts the high voltage in to the
microwave frequency for cooking
The microwave energy is transmitted into a
waveguide
When the door is opened, or the timer reaches zero,
the microwave energy stops.
 Convection
Thermal Cutout Magnetron Convection
Motor
Heater

HV Transformer Oven Lamp

Thermistor
 Control Panel: Allows electric current to flow to transformer.
Transformer and Capacitor: supercharge electricity, and feed
electricity to magnetron
Transformer: changes current and/or voltage into desired
level.
Capacitor: Stores electricity, but in this case smoothes
current
 Waveguide :Guides microwaves into cooking chamber. Does
this by confining the space of the releasing microwaves from
the magnetron
Cooking chamber: Chamber that confines the output radiation
so that food can get heated up.
 Empty tube with magnets around it. The copper wire
receives electric current from transformer and capacitor.
Magnets create magnetic field which make electricity flow
out of wire in beams of electrons.
Each time electrons hit edge of wall, they return back in a
circulation motion. This results in microwaves
Antenna inside magnetron send out microwaves to waveguide
Basically converts electrical energy to radiation.
 The microwaves that penetrate the food have an electric field that
oscillates 2.45 billion times a second, a frequency that is well
absorbed by polar liquid molecules such as water, sugars, fats and
other food molecules.
Water interacts with the microwave:
flipping its orientation back and forth very rapidly
bumping into one another and producing heat, cooking the food.
Glass, paper, ceramic, or plastic containers are used in microwave
cooking because the microwaves pass through them
Metal reflects microwaves
Unsafe to have metal pans/aluminum foil in oven, may damage oven
 It is known that microwave radiation can heat body tissue the same
way it heats food.
Exposure to high levels of microwaves can cause a painful burn
Ex. the lens of the eye ~ exposure to high levels of microwaves can cause
cataracts.
Still uncertain in the effects of humans from long term exposure to
low level of microwaves
Still experimenting
Best to stay a way (an arms length) in reducing exposure to
microwaves